Free Proforma Invoice Template and Generator
Create a proforma invoice online before goods ship. Add exporter, buyer, consignee, Incoterms, customs line items, HS codes, country of origin, weights, freight, tax or duty estimates, and payment terms, then print or save the finished document as a PDF from your browser.
No account. No spreadsheet formulas. No data uploaded to Locad.
Build a proforma invoice in your browser
Enter exporter, buyer, consignee, shipment, Incoterms, customs, line-item, tax, freight, and declaration details. The preview updates live and prints cleanly as a proforma invoice.
No data leaves your browser. The draft is stored locally on your device when browser storage is available.
What Is a Proforma Invoice?
A proforma invoice is a preliminary invoice-like document issued by a seller before goods are shipped or services are completed. It acts as a formal quotation that states the expected goods, prices, quantities, shipment details, Incoterms, payment terms, and validity period.
A proforma invoice sits between a quote and the final commercial invoice. It looks like an invoice because it uses invoice-style fields: seller, buyer, invoice number, date, line items, quantities, prices, currency, freight, tax or duty estimates, terms, and signature. But its purpose is different. It is issued before the shipment or final sale is complete so both sides can agree on the expected transaction.
In cross-border trade, this matters because goods often cannot move cleanly on a casual email quote alone. The buyer may need a proforma invoice to request internal approval, arrange an advance payment, open a letter of credit, apply for an import permit, or ask a broker to estimate duties and taxes. Customs authorities and import government agencies may use the details to understand what is expected to enter the country, even though the final commercial invoice is normally the document used after the sale is complete.
For ecommerce brands, a proforma invoice is useful whenever products move before the final invoice is ready. A US seller shipping inventory to an overseas buyer, a US brand sending samples to a distributor, or a DTC company moving stock into a new fulfillment market may all need a proforma document that explains what is being shipped, what it is worth, where it came from, and which commercial terms apply.
The key is honesty. A proforma invoice should not pretend to be a final tax invoice. It should say clearly that values are estimated or preliminary, that the document is not a tax invoice, and that final payment or customs treatment may depend on the final commercial invoice, local rules, and the agreed sale terms.
Proforma Invoice vs Commercial Invoice
A useful proforma invoice should be close enough to the eventual commercial invoice that the buyer can plan properly, but it is still not the final bill of sale.
| Area | Proforma invoice | Commercial invoice |
|---|---|---|
| Timing | Issued before goods ship or before the final sale is completed. | Issued after the sale is confirmed and usually when goods are shipped or delivered. |
| Purpose | Gives the buyer, bank, broker, or import authority a formal estimate of the intended transaction. | Acts as the final bill of sale and key customs valuation document. |
| Payment status | Not normally a demand for payment by itself. It can support advance payment, but the payment obligation comes from the accepted terms or contract. | Usually supports the actual payment request and accounting record. |
| Customs use | Can support pre-clearance, import license applications, letters of credit, or duty estimates. | Commonly used by customs to assess value, duty, and import compliance. |
| Values | Estimated or agreed expected values before shipment. | Final transaction values, adjusted for what actually shipped. |
| Changes | May change if quantities, availability, freight, insurance, or terms change before shipment. | Should match the final shipped goods and agreed commercial terms. |
The seller, buyer, goods, HS codes, origin, quantities, prices, Incoterms, currency, and shipment terms should not be vague. If the shipment changes, issue a corrected proforma or make sure the final commercial invoice explains the change.
Proforma Invoice vs Quotation vs Tax Invoice
Quotation
A quotation can be informal. It might be a PDF, email, spreadsheet, or price table that says what a seller is willing to supply and at what price. It helps the buyer decide whether to buy.
Proforma invoice
A proforma invoice is more structured. It puts the quote into an invoice format so the buyer can use it for internal approval, import paperwork, financing, or advance payment.
Tax invoice
A tax invoice is issued under tax rules and is used to document a taxable sale. A proforma invoice is preliminary and should not be used to claim input tax or record final revenue.
For a domestic service job, a normal quotation may be enough. For an international shipment, a proforma invoice is usually more useful because it includes shipment and customs fields that quotes often skip: country of origin, HS or tariff code, package count, weights, Incoterms, named place, estimated ship date, port details, and declaration text.
This distinction is especially important in markets where invoice wording matters. Calling a preliminary document a “tax invoice” can create accounting and compliance confusion. The safer approach is to title the document “Proforma Invoice,” include a visible statement that it is not a tax invoice, and issue the final commercial or tax invoice only when the sale reaches the correct stage. A commercial invoice template (coming soon) belongs later in that document flow.
When Should You Issue a Proforma Invoice?
Issue a proforma invoice when the buyer needs formal transaction details before the shipment or final invoice is ready.
- The buyer needs management approval before confirming an order.
- The buyer must arrange advance payment or a deposit.
- The buyer is opening a letter of credit or arranging trade finance.
- The importer needs estimated values and goods details for a broker.
- The destination country requires import license or pre-shipment inspection paperwork.
- Goods are being sent as samples, warranty replacements, or non-commercial shipments where a declared value is still needed.
- The seller needs the buyer to approve Incoterms, freight, insurance, and delivery responsibilities before booking shipment.
- A distributor or marketplace partner needs a formal document to confirm landed cost assumptions.
- A warehouse or 3PL needs advance shipment information before receiving inventory.
Do not use a proforma invoice as a shortcut for the final commercial invoice after goods ship. Once the shipment is final, the commercial invoice should reflect what actually moved.
What Customs Does With a Proforma Invoice
Customs treatment varies by country and shipment type. A proforma invoice may not always be the required shipping document, but it often helps the buyer and broker prepare before goods arrive. The document can show the expected goods, value, origin, HS code, quantity, weight, and Incoterms so the importer can estimate duty, check import restrictions, apply for permits, and prepare declarations.
For pre-clearance, the important fields are the ones that reduce ambiguity. A broker needs to know what the product is, what it is made of, how many units are shipping, where it was manufactured, the HS code, the transaction value, currency, freight or insurance treatment, and who is responsible under the Incoterm. A vague line such as “merchandise” or “samples” is not enough. Use a product description that would make sense to someone who has never seen the SKU before.
If the proforma is later converted into a commercial invoice, make sure the final invoice matches the shipped goods. If the quantity, value, HS code, freight, or origin changes, update the final document instead of blindly copying the preliminary proforma.
What to Include in a Proforma Invoice
A practical proforma invoice for cross-border ecommerce needs enough commercial and customs detail for the buyer, broker, and operations team to act before the final invoice exists.
Header and references
Use a clear “Proforma Invoice” title, unique proforma number, issue date, validity date, buyer reference, currency, payment terms, and authorized signature.
Parties
Include seller/exporter name, address, contact, and tax or registration ID if applicable. Add buyer/importer details and consignee or ship-to party if different.
Shipment terms
Add country of final destination, Incoterms and named place, estimated ship date, mode of transport, ports of loading and discharge, package marks, and purpose of shipment.
Customs line items
List SKU, specific product description, HS or tariff code, country of origin, quantity, unit, unit price, and line amount for each product.
Packages and weights
Show total package count, total net weight, and total gross weight on the face of the document so brokers do not have to infer shipment totals from line details.
Estimated charges
Add discounts, freight, insurance, handling, estimated tax or duty, and the proforma total. Label estimated tax or duty carefully because the proforma is not a tax invoice.
Proforma Invoice Numbering Conventions
Use a numbering system that is unique, readable, and separate from final tax or commercial invoice numbers. A common pattern is PI-2026-00048. The PI prefix makes it clear that the document is a proforma invoice. The year helps filing and audit trails. The sequence prevents duplicates.
If the same transaction later gets a final commercial invoice, use a separate commercial invoice number and reference the proforma number in the notes or buyer reference. Avoid reusing old proforma numbers. If a proforma expires or is revised, keep the original record and issue a revision such as PI-2026-00048-R1. This makes it easier to explain which version the buyer approved, especially if prices, freight, quantities, or terms changed before shipment.
What a Completed Proforma Invoice Looks Like
This is an actual document produced by the generator on this page, not a mockup. It shows an overseas seller shipping apparel to a US buyer on CIF terms, and it covers the full document in one printable layout: proforma number, validity date, seller, buyer, consignee, Incoterms and named place, shipment totals, customs line items with HS codes and country of origin, freight, insurance, the declaration, and the authorized signature.
It is also a readability check. HS codes, origin, long product descriptions and package details all have to stay legible on the PDF a seller sends to a buyer, a bank, a customs broker, or a freight forwarder. Load this page and the same example is already in the form, so you can edit it into your own shipment rather than starting from an empty document.
Why This Page Does Not Hand Out Excel, Word, or PDF Files
The search results for proforma invoice templates clearly show that many people want a template in Excel, Word, PDF, docx, or an editable format. Those files can work, especially if a company already has strict templates. But static files create predictable problems.
- Excel formulas can break when rows are copied or pasted.
- Print areas often drift after long product descriptions are added.
- Word tables can wrap badly across pages.
- PDF templates are hard to edit unless the fields were built correctly.
- Teams may accidentally send old versions saved on someone’s desktop.
- Customs fields are often missing from generic invoice templates.
This page takes a different approach. The proforma invoice is generated in the browser. The editable fields stay on the page, the preview updates live, and the print action creates the document through the browser’s own print dialog. To save a PDF, use “Print / Save as PDF.” There is no Excel, Word, CSV, HTML, or direct PDF download from Locad.
That trade-off is intentional. It keeps the tool lightweight, avoids spreadsheet cleanup, and means entered data does not need to leave the browser. Locad does not receive the exporter, buyer, pricing, or shipment information typed into the tool.
From Browser Form to Customs-Ready Draft
Fill the form
Replace the example seller, buyer, consignee, Incoterms, package, weight, and customs details with your own shipment information.
Review the preview
The printable proforma updates live. Line amounts multiply quantity by unit price at full precision and round once per line, so sub-cent unit prices remain accurate.
Print or save as PDF
Choose Print / Save as PDF when the document is ready. Your browser creates the final PDF; the page does not upload your data or generate a server-side file.
Sub-cent pricing is supported for products such as labels, packaging, or small accessories: 10,000 × $0.0425 calculates to $425.00, not $400.00.
Plan Proforma Invoices, Freight, Fulfillment, and Customs Together
A proforma invoice is part of a wider cross-border workflow. Use these tools and service pages to connect buyer approval, carton sizing, customs planning, warehousing, and fulfillment.
Proforma Invoice Template Questions
Need Cross-Border Support Beyond the Document?
Locad helps ecommerce brands connect cross-border shipping, warehousing, fulfillment, and delivery so a proforma invoice turns into smoother inventory movement.